Divided
by animated-shark
Summary: After surrendering to Avatar Korra, the fight isn't over for Kuvira. She still has to face her own inner demons.
1. Chapter 1

In her short time as the Avatar, Korra had come up against many tough obstacles. A bloodbending extremist. A spiritual madman. A murderous anarchist. Even a power-hungry dictator. But at the moment, she couldn't think of any tougher obstacle than trying to get through this angry mob.

She pushed and shoved, trying to force a path while dodging flailing fists, elbows and the odd homemade sign. People shouted in her ears as she passed, some of the screams directed at her and some at others that stood beyond her, though the cacophony garbled together, making it impossible to make out any actual words. Hands clawed at her clothing as they attempted to either get at her or get her out of the way of their true targets. Korra was starting to think she would need the Avatar State to make it to the other end when suddenly, with one final charge, she broke free and found herself standing alone in front of her destination.

As relieved as she was to have some breathing room, it wasn't over yet. Because she hadn't come here alone. She scanned the sea of bodies, looking for telltale signs of white hair and blue clothing, but couldn't pick out any individuals from the writhing mass. Bracing herself to rush back into the fray, Korra was relieved when Kya finally appeared, cursing in a very unladylike manner as she squeezed out of the crowd.

"You would think that after a week these people would get tired and go home." the older waterbender commented as she brushed herself off.

"You would think." Korra agreed.

Now on the outside, the Avatar got a better look at the rioting citizens. The two mobs, for the people had gathered to support not one cause but one of two possible choices, faced off on opposite sides of an invisible line, each trying their damnedest to make their opinion heard over the other. On the one side were mostly earthbenders of the upper class, those who had reaped benefits from the creation of the Earth Empire, and former soldiers of the empire's disbanded army. The other side was a mix of firebenders, waterbenders and earthbenders, all the people whose lives were most negatively affected by the aforementioned empire. True to their teachings, the airbenders had stayed out of the conflict.

For those who couldn't yell loud enough to be heard over the din, their opinions were expressed with wooden signs that popped out of the horde like weeds in an unkempt lawn. "Death to the Great Uniter" read one, while another just two rows over said "Free Kuvira". Some didn't use words, but images of the different ways the former world leader should be executed, each depiction more graphic and gory than the one before. Then there were signs that didn't even seem relevant to the debate. One such sign had an address, asking the Great Uniter to look up Yang for a good time.

Sooner or later, Korra knew she would have to deal with these protests, but for now she had more pressing matters. Gesturing for Kya to follow her, she headed up the steps to the building's glass entryway, giving a nod to the police officers that stood guard as she passed by. They stood back enough for the Avatar and her companion to get through, then just as quickly closed the gap again. Fortunately, the crowd was more interested in fighting each other than fighting their way into the building.

Once inside, getting around proved to be much easier, and it was a great deal quieter. Although there were just as many people inside as there were outside, none of these people were rioting. They had jobs to do, barely stopping long enough to notice the two water tribe women standing in the doorway. Leaving them to their work, Korra and Kya made their own way through the twisting hallways. Korra wasn't one hundred percent sure where she was going, but Kya, having been there before, knew the way and took the lead without hesitation.

The further they went, the quieter it got and the fewer people they saw. It helped that an entire floor, the one they were heading to, had been cleared of all occupants, except one. Once on that floor, it wasn't hard for Korra to find the right room. It was the only one with armoured guards, more members of the Republic City police force, standing outside the door. Korra thought the guards unnecessary in a hospital, but it was the only way to give the nursing staff any peace of mind.

Upon hearing the approaching footsteps, both guards took a defensive stance, but relaxed again when they realized who it was.

"Avatar Korra," said one guard. "We weren't expecting you."

"It's kind of an unscheduled visit."

The guard's expression hardened a little. Korra couldn't really read it, though there seemed to be a hint of suspicion. As if he was wondering why the Avatar would decide to show up here of all places and what her motives could possibly be. His companion just looked nervous, perhaps fearing a conflict he didn't want to be involved in.

Not being in the mood for a confrontation either, Korra spoke again, changing the subject before the guard could make any protests. "How is she?"

Sensing that her concern was genuine, though misdirected, the old cop softened a little. The tension dissipated and the other guard visibly relaxed.

"Same as the past few days, I guess."

Korra wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. "Can I see her?"

Neither guard answered right away and Korra feared that they would refuse her entry, forcing her to use a more aggressive tactic. She came here determined to get in one way or another. Luckily, both men came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth a fight. They each took a step away from the door and the older one waved for the two women to enter.

Despite the extra security measures that said otherwise, the room beyond the guarded door was not a prison cell, but an ordinary hospital room, just like the many others throughout the building. However, it did have some elements in common with a prison cell. It was a small space with bland colours, only one tiny window built into the far wall and minimal furnishings. A bed, a couple of chairs for visitors, a bedside table and a wardrobe for personal belongings. All but the former were left unused.

Looking down now at the lone occupant lying on the bed, Korra wouldn't have believed that this was once the most feared woman in the Earth Kingdom, if she hadn't already seen her in action. Her uniform and armour had been replaced with a hospital gown and bandages, and her long, dark hair hung loose, draping around her face like black curtains, instead of pulled into that tight bun that always made her look so serious. Not to mention older than she actually was. But the loss of the empress trappings was not what changed her. The old Kuvira could have been intimidating wearing nothing but a bath towel. Something else had changed, something inside. She was a broken woman. It was apparent all over her face, even in her restless sleep.

Kuvira remained asleep, even as Korra pulled up one of the unoccupied chairs and sat down beside the bed. But it was not a peaceful sleep. She whimpered and moaned, and wriggled under the covers, trying to fight back against some unseen foe. Occasionally, the tossing and turning was so violent that the only thing that kept her from falling out of the bed were the leather restraints on her wrists and ankles. Another unnecessary precaution given that she wasn't lucid enough to escape or attack anyone.

Seeing Kuvira like this, Korra couldn't help but feel pity. It reminded her too much of the illness she had once suffered as the result of mercury poisoning, courtesy of the Red Lotus. She wouldn't have wished that kind of pain on her worst enemy. Yet here now, the woman once considered one of her worst enemies was suffering. And Korra didn't know why.

The last time Korra had seen Kuvira was after her surrender, when she and the Beifong sisters had been escorting her to prison. When it was determined that Kuvira's injuries were worse than she was letting on, they had made a detour to the very hospital they were in now. The doctors who looked her over said that the damage, particularly to her ribs, was extensive, but not life-threatening. In fact, the last Korra had heard, her condition was improving.

But then a few days ago she had gotten a call from Lin Beifong, who she had asked to keep her posted on any news related to Kuvira. Lin didn't understand Korra's keen interest in the well-being of the defeated dictator, but respected the Avatar enough to do her the favour without asking questions. So when the fever came on, Korra was the first person she contacted.

None of the medical staff that cared for her could understand it. There was no indication of infection or any sign of a bacteria or a virus. There weren't even any other symptoms that might point to a cold, a flu or some other recognizable illness. Just out of the blue she started suffering from an intense fever that had her delirious when she was awake and agitated when she slept. And nothing the doctors had tried could stabilize her. They feared that they would soon lose her. Great Uniter or not, no doctor wanted to see their patient die.

Korra wasn't about to let that happen either. Which was why she was there now with Kya in tow. Without having to be asked, the middle-aged waterbender took the second chair around to the other side of the bed and sat opposite Korra. From the pouch that she carried on her hip, she brought forth a stream of water. The clear liquid took on an eerie glow as it encircled her open palms, which she held over the ailing young woman. Kya guided the luminous water up and down Kuvira's body, her eyes closed, trying to sense something that only a skilled healer could.

"Thank you for doing this," Korra said as her old friend worked. She knew she shouldn't disturb her, but at the same time she felt she should say something. "If you hadn't come, I don't know if there would have been anyone else willing to help."

"Oh, I'm sure my mother would have," Kya replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "But then I would have had to listen to her lecture about a healer's duty to help all that need her, even an enemy. I'd rather be doing this then have to hear that again."

"Just the same...thanks, Kya."

The waterbender smiled again as she continued her examination. But the joking expression was slowly replaced by a serious one. "If you don't mind me asking, Korra, why do you care so much?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, her," said Kya, gesturing to Kuvira, who still remained unconscious and oblivious to the discussion going on around her. "This woman tried to kill you more than once. And that's just one of a long list of atrocities that she's committed since taking over the Earth Kingdom. So, why help her?"

Korra didn't answer right away, giving the question some serious thought. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. Something happened in the Spirit World. Something I can't explain. But, for whatever reason, I feel like the two of us are connected somehow. I don't know. Maybe it's true what my dad said once. 'If you save a life, you become responsible for that life'."

Kya nodded, understanding and yet not understanding at the same time.

"Or maybe it's because of how similar we are," Korra went on. "I keep wondering...if I hadn't been poisoned and I had been the one sent out to stabilize the Earth Kingdom, who's to say that I wouldn't have ended up just like her."

Shocked, Kya stopped what she was doing and shot Korra an incredulous look. "Oh, come on. I hardly think you would become a ruthless, power-mad dictator with a giant mecha."

Korra smirked. "Yeah, but that's only because I'm terrible with machines." Then she became solemn again. "Seriously though, how can anyone say what they would or wouldn't do in a given situation without actually living through it?"

There was no reply from Kya as she took this in. After a moment, her smile returned. "When did you become so wise?"

The young Avatar shrugged. "Somewhere between living in a swamp with a cranky old earthbender and creating a new spirit portal."

After that, the conversation died down. Kya continued to work at finding the source of the sudden ailment while Korra looked on more or less patiently and Kuvira struggled with the fever dreams.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Korra, who admittedly still needed to work on her impatience despite her newfound wisdom, Kya sighed and returned the water to its pouch with a wave of her hands. Korra couldn't tell if her somber face meant that she hadn't found anything or that she hadn't liked what she'd found.

"Well?" Korra prodded when Kya didn't speak up soon enough.

"I think I might know what this is."

"Might?"

The elder waterbender sighed again. "Well, this isn't something I've encountered personally, but it is something I've heard about. Fire Lord Zuko could probably explain it better than I can."

Since there wasn't any time to be making trips to the Fire Nation to ask an old ruler about mysterious illnesses, Korra urged Kya to go on. "Give it your best shot."

Kya took a second before answering, trying to come up with the best way to explain the odd circumstances. "For starters, this isn't an ordinary sickness."

"We already knew that much."

Kya ignored the younger girl's tone. "This is likely the result of your battle in the Spirit Wilds."

Korra interrupted again. "Are you saying I made her sick?"

"No. But you did make her question herself." The confused look on her friend's face told Kya to elaborate. "Look, for the past three years she has been 'the Great Uniter'. A strong, determined leader of an entire nation, free to do as she wished. She was so focused on her own goals, that she turned a blind eye to the terrible things she was doing to accomplish those goals. Then you came along and you forced her to stop and really consider what she was doing. You took off the blindfold, made her look in the mirror and see herself for what she truly was. And I'm guessing she didn't like what she saw."

Korra agreed, remembering the earnest talk she and Kuvira had when they had been forced into the Spirit World. By the end of the conversation, the haughtiness of the Great Uniter had disappeared and all that was left was a distraught young woman plagued with guilt. It was in that instant that Korra first felt the desire to help the one she had once called an enemy.

"Whatever the case," Kya went on, "now there is a war going on inside her. Between who she thought she was and who she wants to be. The fever is just the physical manifestation of all that inner turmoil."

As if to corroborate this assessment, Kuvira groaned and turned in her sleep, as much as the restraints would allow. Her hair and the covers clung to her sweat-drenched body. She looked like she had run a marathon and wasn't done running yet.

The two waterbenders watched the stricken metalbender in silence, both of them feeling sorry for her now. When Korra finally broke the silence, her voice seemed to echo through the tiny room. "Is there anything we can do?"

Her heart sunk a little when Kya shook her head. "There's not much we can do except try to make her comfortable and keep her fever down. This war is in her mind. Only Kuvira can fight it."

"And if she loses?"

Kya didn't need to answer. Her face said it all.


	2. Chapter 2

She was in complete darkness. The only sound to be heard was her own footsteps on the metal floor. Where was she? How did she get here? Kuvira tried to think back, but everything from the last few days was in a fog. She could remember something about a hospital. Yes, she had been hurt. How had she been hurt? A battle...with giant machines...glowing weapons...the Avatar. That was it. A fight with the Avatar. A fight she had lost. That was how she ended up in a hospital. But how did she end up in wherever this was? It just wasn't coming to her.

Frightened, but unwilling to let the fear control her, Kuvira kept moving forward, one step at a time. She held a hand up in front of her, just in case a wall decided to appear out of the nothingness. It was starting to feel like the hallway or room or whatever went on forever, when she felt cold metal under her fingertips. A wall! Further investigation, by touch since she still couldn't see, revealed that it was in fact a door. Even better. She pressed down on the handle and pushed inward. The door gave way, blinding her with daylight.

When her eyes had adjusted, Kuvira took in her surroundings. Odd machines covered in dials and switches took up the centre of the room. Thick wires of various colours hung out of these machines, snaking across the floor. The walls were lined with large canisters that appeared to contain some kind of plant life. Vines by the looks of them. Strangest of all, the entire back wall of the room was missing, revealing a vast landscape of trees and mountains racing by at rapid speed.

Wait...she knew this place. This had been Varrick's laboratory on the train. Her train. The maglev that she had used to get around the Earth Kingdom. But that had been left behind at the base camp when she had taken the colossal mecha on her campaign against Republic City. Better still...the car that housed Varrick's lab had been repaired long ago, and then later blown up again. There was no way that she could be here.

Kuvira's eyes said otherwise. They also showed her that she was back in uniform. But that couldn't be either. Her uniform had been confiscated when she was arrested. And it had been in much worse condition, tattered and torn from the conflict with Avatar Korra. On top of all that, the armour wasn't right. In fact, most of it was missing. The metal plates that she always wore on her arms, legs, back, even her belt, all of that was gone. All she had left were the pauldrons, and even these were wrong. They weren't like the large rounded ones that she wore. More like the metal plating that she had the nonbenders in her army wear, mostly in case she had to...

Without warning, the metal pauldrons tightened around her neck and Kuvira felt herself being lifted off the floor, as if an invisible hand had grabbed her by the throat and hoisted her up. The next thing she knew, she was being thrown through the gaping hole at the back of the train, out into open air. But before she could hit the ground, the unseen force stopped her descent, leaving her dangling, choked by the metal that encircled her neck.

Through vision blurred by lack of oxygen and the wind that whipped around her face, Kuvira realized that she wasn't alone. Someone was standing inside the broken train car, reaching up to her. She blinked, trying to clear her eyes and get a good look at whoever was there with her. When she finally did see, she felt her heart drop and the air go out of her chest.

It was her. Not her now, but her then. Kuvira was looking down at herself as the Great Uniter. Right uniform, armour, hair, everything. And Great Uniter Kuvira did not seem pleased with regular Kuvira. Which might explain why she was using metalbending to hold her outside of the train.

"There's a voice in my head telling me to drop you on the tracks," the Great Uniter snarled. "Should I listen?"

Kuvira tried to say something, but words wouldn't come out, both because of the metal strangle hold and from shock. This wasn't real. It couldn't be happening. It had already happened. But to Varrick, not to her. This had to be some kind of dream...or a nightmare more like it. Yet the pain from the crushing metal felt real enough. Maybe she had gone insane and this was what your mind did to you when it finally turned against you.

Whatever was going on, the fact still remained that she was hanging from her neck behind a speeding train and the only thing keeping her from dropping was a very irate version of herself. And the Great Uniter seemed to be getting more impatient the longer she went without a response. Finally, she reached her limit.

"Suit yourself," she said calmly, but with a chill behind the words. The Great Uniter dropped her hand and Kuvira dropped with it, the tracks rushing up to greet her. She closed her eyes, bracing for the final impact. Then opened them again when it didn't come.

She could still see the tracks, but she was kneeling safely beside them, not broken against them. Confused, but relieved, Kuvira tried to stand, only to discover that there was a reason she was kneeling. The metal bands had vanished from around her throat, but now a set was wrapped around her wrists, pinning her to the tracks thanks to their magnetic pull.

She wasn't alone this time either. A row of raggedly dressed people kneeled beside her and another group lined the opposite side of the track, all handcuffed in similar fashion. And walking between the two lines, marching straight and proud with her hands behind her back, was none other than the Great Uniter. Looking down at her bedraggled prisoners, she gave them a rousing speech about how lucky they were to be given the opportunity to work for her.

"This can't be happening," Kuvira said, finding her voice at last. At least that's what she tried to say. She was cut off mid-sentence when another piece of metal was forcefully slapped across her mouth.

Once again, the Great Uniter was looking at her with disdain in her eyes. Eyes that were familiar, but at the same time foreign.

"Don't speak over me," she warned.

The speech continued and when it was done, each of the prisoners in turn swore their loyalty to the Great Uniter and were released from their bonds. But Kuvira couldn't swear loyalty. She couldn't say anything. Soon enough, she found that she was the only one still stuck to the magnetic tracks.

The other prisoners boarded the train, followed by the Earth Empire soldiers and then the Great Uniter. But before disappearing inside, the Great Uniter glared down at Kuvira one last time.

"I have no use for you or your weakness. You can wait for the next train." With that, she stepped inside and out of sight. A moment later, the train started up and pulled away.

No sooner had it vanished around the bend, when another train appeared from the other direction, headed straight for Kuvira. She pulled with all her strength against the band that held her down, but only succeeded in cutting her wrists. She tried to metalbend, but couldn't do it with her hands tied together. And while she struggled and got nowhere, the train got closer and closer, moving at unnatural speeds. Even if someone on board saw Kuvira, they wouldn't have been able to stop in time.

She tried to scream, but couldn't. The metal plate still covered her mouth.

Again, she closed her eyes and waited for death. Again, the final blow never came.

This time when she dared to look again, she was nowhere near any train or tracks, but she was still immobile. Her entire body, save her head and shoulders, was encased in rock. All she could manage to do was turn her head.

In doing so, she could see a vast army of Earth Empire soldiers cheering and pumping their fists in the air. And who were they cheering for? The Great Uniter, of course. Looking a little battle worn but no less intimidating as she walked towards her defeated foe like a jungle cat stalking prey.

When she was standing over a helpless Kuvira once more, she gave a quick wave of her arms, causing thin sheets of metal to separate from her armour and hang in the air. Another flick of the hands and the sheets sharpened into blades. Kuvira knew what she intended to do with those blades. She had been in her place once before, after all. But it was probably a safe bet that there would be no airbenders stepping in to save her.

There was no taunting this time either. Without saying a word, the Great Uniter hurled the blades with deadly precision.

Kuvira fought the urge to close her eyes, to look away. This time she would watch. Maybe if she watched it happen, the attack would take and she could end this nightmarish game.

No such luck. A millisecond before the blades could cut through her throat, everything stopped and the world seemed to melt away. The people and the landscape blurred together, like she was looking at something far away in murky water. Then, just as quickly, everything started to separate and take shape again. And once again, Kuvira found herself someplace else.

She didn't know how much more of this insanity she could take. She begged and pleaded, to herself and aloud, for it all to stop. But whoever or whatever was tormenting her had no intention of stopping. Over and over and over, Kuvira was forced to relive her past misdeeds, all through the eyes of those she had wronged.

In one instant, she was tossed into a cell, being taken away to the re-education camp. In the next, she was tied to wooden beam, being used as a target for the spirit weapon test. Then she was up close and personal with the same weapon, staring into the massive barrel as it aimed down at her from the thick canopy of vines and trees. And in every single scenario, the Great Uniter was there, tearing Kuvira down with her icy glare.

And then the voices started. Familiar voices shouting at her, shouting things she had heard before, but at the time dismissed. Now they cut her right to the marrow. Toph Beifong accusing her of giving metalbenders a bad name. Zhu Li calling her a monster. Suyin telling her that she would answer for everything she'd done. But the hardest voice to hear was that of Bataar Jr., the man she had once loved and planned to marry. She heard his soft voice, filled with affection, begging her to forget about taking Republic City so they could be together. The words he had spoken right before she had fired at the warehouse he was being held in, just so she could get at the Avatar. The sound of those words was a knife to the chest.

She couldn't bear it any longer. The woman who had once stood tall and proud in front of an army of thousands, dropped to her knees and curled up into a ball, shutting her eyes and covering her ears. Trying to block everything out. But the visions and the voices wouldn't go away. They pounded at her psyche, ceaseless and unforgiving, like waves beating against the shore, leaving her brittle and broken.

The last of Kuvira's strength was slipping away and taking her sanity with it. But even though most of her had given up and was ready to let go, there was still a small part of her that wasn't prepared to quit. It gathered up what little resistance she had left for one final protest.

"Enough!"

Much to her disbelief, everything stopped. Kuvira cautiously opened her eyes and found herself in blackness again. The void was as silent as it was dark, making the sound of her own rapid breathing seem loud. Slowly, she got to her feet, tensed in case the madness started up again. But nothing happened. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to believe that it just might be over. Then the ground beneath her vanished and she was falling again.

With nothing around her, there was no way for Kuvira to tell how far, how fast or how long she was falling. The only sensations were the sinking feeling in her stomach and the pressure of the air rushing past her.

It was beginning to feel like it would continue on like that forever, descending through never-ending darkness, when something appeared in the distance. It was small at first, just a tiny orb of white light. But it grew as she got closer and closer. By the time she was right on top of it, the light was big enough to swallow her up. Kuvira passed through the light and when it had faded away, she found herself free from the void, in some place else entirely.

There wasn't time to figure out where. She was still falling. And now she could see the ground charging towards her. Given the pattern of this nightmare, Kuvira assumed she would wind up somewhere else before she actually touched down. So she was caught off guard when she slammed hard into the dirt.

Surprisingly, despite the height she had dropped from, she only had the wind knocked out of her. After a few minutes of recovery, Kuvira was able to stand and take stock. Nothing felt broken, or even bruised. Strange given that a fall like that should have killed her. Stranger still, she was wearing her uniform again. The correct uniform with all of the right armour. And in the battered condition she last remembered seeing it.

Having finished the self-examination, Kuvira took in her surroundings. A vast field of alien pink and green flowers decorated randomly with thick, leafless trees. Off in the distance, a ring of triangular, snow-covered mountains surrounded the field. And in the centre of it all was a glowing ball of yellow and green light with even brighter lights spiralling out of the top. The Spirit Portal. Which meant that she was in the spirit world. A familiar part of the Spirit World at that.

"Recognize this place?" asked a disembodied voice, also familiar.

Kuvira spun around and came face to face with herself, though a more pristine copy. While Kuvira's armour was tarnished, her clothing torn and her hair hanging down in tangles, the Great Uniter's attire practically gleamed and not a single hair was out of place. Making Kuvira seem even more insignificant by comparison, the Great Uniter was surrounded by a brilliant halo cast by the Spirit Portal behind her.

"You should," the stern dictator continued, taking a step towards Kuvira, who took an involuntary step back. "This is where you surrendered everything we worked so hard to achieve."

"I had to." Kuvira's voice sounded feeble, even to her own ears. "What we...I...was doing was wrong."

Her counterpart scoffed. "Do you believe that just because the Avatar said so?"

"I..."

"She gives you a few words of sympathy and now you'll say anything to please her. Is that it?" The Great Uniter took a few more threatening steps closer, forcing Kuvira to back up further to maintain the distance between them.

"Answer me."

"Because it was true," she snapped. Kuvira was getting tired and frustrated. She shouldn't have to explain herself...to herself. The rising anger was making it easier to fight back. "When I left Zaofu, my intention was to help the people of the Earth Kingdom."

"And we were helping them," the Great Uniter interrupted. "We gave them an empire."

"An empire built with threats and suffering."

"All necessary. The people didn't know what was best for them. They just needed someone to show them."

"The re-education camps? Abandoning villages that didn't accept my terms? Taking cities by force? How was that helping anyone?"

"You should know. They were all your ideas."

"They were _your_ ideas. Everything I did was because I listened to you."

"This may come as a surprise...but I am you. I'm the part of you that made you strong."

"You made me into a monster!"

The dictator was taken aback by the sudden outburst. But only for a moment. "Without me, you would still be living in Zaofu under Suyin's thumb. You would still be a little nobody whose own parents didn't even want her. With me, you became the Great Uniter, loved and respected across an entire nation. Without me, you're just Kuvira."

"Is that really so bad?" This was spoken in a whisper, more questioning herself than offering a reply.

Was it? The more Kuvira thought about it, the more she didn't think so. It was almost funny. Ever since gaining power over the Earth Kingdom, Kuvira feared losing that power and did everything she could to prevent that from happening. Refusing to step down at Prince Wu's coronation. Locking up anyone who questioned her authority, and those who hadn't but were potential threats nonetheless. Weaponizing spirit energy to ensure that no force on Earth, even the Avatar, could stop her. She managed to convince everyone, especially herself, that these extreme measure had been taken to help the Earth Kingdom, to make it stronger. And maybe that was true in some way. But deep down, she had known that it had been more to help herself. To make certain that she never had to be "just Kuvira" ever again. But now that she had lost everything, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It actually felt right. Like a huge weight had been lifted.

The Great Uniter didn't share her opinion. In fact, she seemed to be in denial about it.. "You don't honestly believe that?" Her tone was mocking, but their was a touch of fear there.

Kuvira turned to her doppleganger, and for once, she was the one staring her down. "I do. And there's one more thing I believe. I don't need you anymore. Now...leave!"

To make her point more clearly, Kuvira took an earthbending stance and, summoning up strength she didn't know she still had, pulled a massive chunk of earth out of the field, lifting it high over her head. The Great Uniter looked on in fear and disbelief as the giant rock was hurled towards her. The expression gave Kuvira a feeling of satisfaction, but she still prepared for a counterattack.

There wasn't one. Because there was no longer a Great Uniter. The boulder passed harmlessly through thin air, crashing into the empty field beyond. Kuvira whirled around, scanning the expanse for any sign of a threat. There was none. She had told the Great Uniter to leave, and that was what she did. Kuvira was alone.

Exhausted, Kuvira fell to her knees. But it was a good kind of exhaustion. The kind that came from battling impossible odds, but still coming out on top. She laid back onto the soft bed of flowers, her heart and mind feeling unburdened for the first time in a long while. The Great Uniter was gone. Defeated. Dead. And this time for good.

As Kuvira lay there, at peace at least for a moment, the world around her started to fade away again. But this time she wasn't afraid. This time she let oblivion take her without a fight.


	3. Chapter 3

When she regained consciousness, the first thing Kuvira became aware of was that she felt terrible. Her entire body ached, particularly her chest. She felt sweaty and sticky, in desperate need of a shower. And there probably wasn't enough water in the world to quench her thirst. But she took all of that pain and discomfort as a good sign. It meant she was back in reality.

Just to confirm it, she took a quick look around her. No trains, trees, fields or armies. And no Great Uniter. Just a plain hospital room...and Avatar Korra. Somehow, Kuvira wasn't startled by her presence. This was the second, or possibly the third, time in memory that she had awoken to find the Avatar next to her. It did seem strange that she was asleep though. How could she be so comfortable around someone that had not long ago tried to disintegrate her with a spirit cannon?

As if sensing that she was being watched, Korra stirred and opened her eyes. And, to Kuvira's astonishment, smiled when she saw the other woman. "You're awake!"

Unnerved by how pleased the Avatar was to see her, Kuvira could only give a quick nod in response. She tried to sit up, put them on more equal ground, but discovered that she couldn't move very far. It took all she had not to panic, fearing that she was back in the dream with metal shackles holding her down. But the restraints weren't metal. Just leather straps. The kind used on criminals when they had to be taken to the hospital.

"Sorry," said Korra, and, shocking Kuvira yet again, removed the straps from her wrists and ankles without even being asked. "Beifong's idea. Personally, I think it's a bit of overkill considering you've been totally out of it for the past few days."

"How 'out of it'?" The last thing Kuvira wanted was to have said anything incriminating, or worse embarrassing, while in a fit of delirium. Being a shamed and despised tyrant was bad enough. She didn't need people ridiculing her on top of that.

Reading her mind, Korra said, "Don't worry. You didn't say much." It was hard to tell if this was true, or just a lie to spare her. "It did look like you were having a hard time though. Bad dreams?"

"Something like that." She had no desire to go into any great detail about her nightmares with the Avatar, or anyone else for that matter. If it were possible, she would have preferred to forget about them entirely.

Fortunately, Korra respected her privacy and didn't push the subject. However, she did surprise her for the third time by leaning over and pressing a hand against Kuvira's forehead. Kuvira was so stunned, she didn't even know how to react. Most people wouldn't have dared to touch the ex-world leader without her permission, but Korra did it like she was caring for an old friend.

"You've still got a bit of a fever," she commented upon removing her hand. "But it's a lot better than what it was. We were afraid you weren't going to make it."

Somehow, Kuvira suspected the "we" was stretching the truth a bit. She couldn't think of anyone else who would be all that concerned if she lived or died. Of course, she had a hard time accepting the Avatar's interest in her well-being too, so it was difficult to say what was possible.

Before she could ask about the "we", Korra was on the move again. Intuitively knowing what might make the ill woman feel better, she took a pitcher from the bedside table and filled a glass with water. She offered the glass to Kuvira, who instead grabbed the pitcher and drank straight from that. It was nearly drained by the time she started to feel any sort of relief for the insatiable thirst.

"Better?" Korra teased.

Kuvira only shook her head, ignoring the gibe. Then she asked the question that had been nagging at her since awaking to find the Avatar beside her. "How long have you been here?"

"A few hours, give or take. Kya and I came here sometime this morning. She left when she couldn't do anything to heal you, but I thought there should be someone here when you woke up." Kuvira wasn't sure what was harder to believe...the Avatar's gratuitous concern or the fact that a complete stranger had tried to heal her.

Annoyed with the confusion brought on by this unexpected change in their relationship, Kuvira started to ask, straight out, why Korra was there with her when there were likely a million other places a person of her stature should be. She didn't even get the first word out before she was stopped by the sudden entrance of another unusual guest.

President Raiko.

It seemed that Korra was just as surprised to see him. "Raiko? What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Korra," the older gentleman said, as if he didn't hear the question. "Tenzin told me I would find you here. It actually makes things easier. I've come to discuss..." He stopped when he noticed something amiss and pointed an accusing finger in Kuvira's direction.

"Why is _she_ not restrained?" He said "she" as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Kuvira spoke up before Korra could answer. "Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything." A bit of the old Kuvira came back in that statement. Maybe she wasn't the head of an empire anymore and maybe her health wasn't one hundred percent, but she refused to be talked down to by the likes of Raiko.

It seemed the president felt the same way about her. "As if your word carries any weight."

Korra stepped in before things escalated, and probably ended with Raiko getting a bed railing forced through his cranium. "What do you want, Raiko?"

Although put out by Korra's disrespectful tone, Raiko pulled his attention from Kuvira, after one last sneer, and answered. "I've come to tell you that the council has reached a decision about the Great Uniter's sentence."

Kuvira cringed noticeably at the use of her old title, but said nothing.

"So, why come and tell me yourself?" Korra asked, making no attempt to hide her suspicion. "Don't you have underlings to deliver news for you?"

Raiko smiled, and it wasn't a pleasant smile. "I wanted to handle this matter personally."

With the flourish of an actor giving a monologue, Raiko laid out the council's verdict. "First of all, we've come to the conclusion that locking her away in a prison, any prison on the continent for that matter, won't work. The mob outside can attest to that. We assume that..."

"What mob?" Kuvira asked Korra, knowing Raiko wouldn't give a straight answer. She did take some personal satisfaction in the redness that spread over Raiko's face at being interrupted.

Korra hesitated to answer, but knew she would be pressed if she didn't. "Just some people outside with...a difference of opinion about what should be done with you. Don't worry. I'll take care of them later."

Kuvira wanted more details, but the sound of Raiko clearing his throat suggested there would be consequences to interrupting him again. Nothing she was afraid of. After all, she had been arrested as a war criminal. What more could he do to her? But the sooner she let him finish, the sooner he would leave.

"As I was saying, the mob is proof that a prison sentence won't work. She'll either have supporters trying to break her out, or she'll be killed by one of her detractors. In which case, she'll become a martyr for her supporters. Neither scenario works in our favour." It probably would have been a waste of breath for Kuvira to tell him that she had no intentions of escaping. And she would really love to see someone try and make an assassination attempt on her. It hadn't worked in the past and, as much as she hated herself, she had no intention of making it easy for them now.

"A solitary prison, like what was constructed for Zaheer, won't work either," Raiko continued. "That was designed to hold an airbender, but it won't keep out earth and metalbenders. We've reached the conclusion that if she is sent anywhere it will have to be somewhere far from the general populous."

That didn't sound good. Where were they going to send her? The Arctic Circle? Kuvira hoped not. She wasn't overly fond of the cold.

Luckily, that wasn't what Raiko had in mind. Although the alternative wasn't much better. "There is an island on the border of Fire Nation territory. Completely uninhabited and away from any major population. Kuvira will be exiled to that island."

The decision didn't sit well with Kuvira, but Korra seemed to hate it more. "So you're just going to dump her on some island in the middle of nowhere?" By the anger in her voice, you would think that Raiko had just threatened to banish Korra's own mother. Again, Kuvira couldn't help but wonder at the Avatar's seemingly out-of-the-blue desire to watch over her.

"A dwelling will be built there and supplies will be sent on a regular basis." He said this calmly, as if it was an everyday thing for him to send people he didn't like to remote islands. "She'll be granted the same amenities as any other prisoner. Minus human contact." He took far too much enjoyment in that last part.

"If you think I'm just..." Korra began, but this time it was Raiko's turn to interrupt.

"There's one more thing, and this is where you come in, Avatar. Exiled or not, the council still considers her a threat. And there are many people outside who would agree. But, there is one humane way to neutralize that threat. We want you to take away her bending."

Both women fell silent, Korra because she couldn't believe what was being asked of her and Kuvira because she had both dreaded and expected this outcome. It was one of the reasons she had fought so hard to escape from the Avatar when her mecha had been destroyed. She was labelled as one of the most dangerous metalbenders in the world, so it only stood to reason that her bending would be taken away should she ever be captured. And, truth be told, she feared losing her bending more than losing her empire. It would be like taking away part of her identity, and she'd given up a good chunk of that already.

Korra appeared to be taking the request worse than Kuvira and surprised both her and Raiko when she flat out refused. "I won't do it."

"You won't?" Raiko repeated, perhaps thinking he had heard wrong.

"No. I know what it's like to have your bending taken away. Aside from being poisoned, it's the worse thing I've ever been through. I couldn't do that to someone else having experienced it myself."

"This is Kuvira we're talking about. The worse tyrant this country has ever seen. She's guilty of more crimes than I can count, including murder. If anyone deserves to have their bending taken away, it's her." Kuvira wasn't sure whether to be insulted, or agree with Raiko. Probably the latter. Though she didn't want to acknowledge the last accusation. She had been haunted by enough terrible memories for one day without picturing that flying mecha she had crushed without a second thought.

Regardless of the fact that everything Raiko said was true, Korra refused to budge on the matter. "No, she doesn't."

The president opened his mouth, preparing another argument, but Kuvira beat him to it. "Yes, I do."

Korra and Raiko turned to her with matching expressions of disbelief, neither able to comprehend what they had just heard. Honestly, Kuvira couldn't believe it herself. But the more she thought about it, the more she knew it to be true. During her time as the Great Uniter, she had committed countless horrible acts, acts she couldn't begin to make up for. Even though she was terrified of losing her bending, if doing so would at least atone for even a sliver of what she had done, then she would go through with it.

Aside from that, there was Korra to think about. It was clear that she would stubbornly oppose the council's decision until they either changed their minds or ended up punishing Korra for her defiance. Kuvira already owed her life to the Avatar, and it didn't seem right for her to sit idly by while Korra put herself at risk to save it a second time.

"Korra." Using the Avatar's name felt strange, but it did the trick. She had her full attention. "I appreciate what you're trying to do for me. But Raiko's right. It's what I deserve. And I swore that I would accept any punishment. If that means taking my bending, then so be it."

"Are you sure?"

A slight nod was the only response she could manage. She feared that if she spoke, her voice would break, giving away the tumultuous emotions she was experiencing at the moment.

"That's that then," said Raiko, breaking the brief silence. "Get on with it."

Korra turned towards Raiko, staring at him with a mix of shock and anger. "What, right now? She's still recovering."

"And won't be able to put up much of a fight."

Again, Kuvira consider pointing out that she wasn't going to resist, but knew that anything said to Raiko would be falling on deaf ears. So instead she addressed the Avatar. "Might as well get it over with."

For a second, it looked like Korra would refuse the request. But then her expression changed to one of begrudging acceptance. "Fine," she sighed, then to Raiko said, "but we don't need an audience."

Raiko's face looked like he was being denied a show he had been waiting all year to see, but if it meant getting what he wanted in the end, he was willing to comply this one time. He left the room without argument. As soon as he was gone, Korra took the empty seat beside Kuvira's bed.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked again.

"Whatever Raiko thinks, if I say something, I mean it. Just...make it quick."

This time with permission, Korra placed her right hand on Kuvira's forehead and her left hand on her shoulder, with her thumb against the nape of her neck. Korra closed her eyes and let out a breath of air. When she opened them again, her eyes were glowing white. Her hands began to glow as well, and within a few seconds, Kuvira could feel something inside of her draining away.

She was frightened at first, and fought the urge to struggle out of the Avatar's grip. It didn't take much effort. The longer the process went on, the weaker she became, and Kuvira found herself slipping into the darkness again. Yet as the last vestiges of her bending energy were stripped from her, and consciousness faded with it, an odd sort of calm came over her. For the first time in three years, she was doing the right thing. There was something comforting in that knowledge.


End file.
